High pressure reciprocating pump

ABSTRACT

A high pressure pump having reciprocating plungers executing suction and discharge strokes, improved by valve assemblies in which valve components extend from a side of an elastomeric seal and an anchoring ring extends from the opposite side of the seal to reduce wear and assure proper alignment of the valve assembly. Similar interchangeable valve assemblies are mounted in communication with the suction and discharge chambers of the pump, but in reverse directions. An improved sealing means is provided by a plurality of V-rings compressed against a lubricating ring by a spring bottomed in a cylindrical chamber wherein the plunger operates in executing the suction and discharge strokes. An additive fluid adaptor with metering means is mounted to a passageway communicating with the suction chamber, and a one-way check valve controls entry of the additive fluid only upon execution of the suction stroke of the plunger.

ited ttes ulvey et a1.

[ Nov. 19., 1974 111G111 PRESSURE RECIIPROCATING P111 [75] Inventors:Philip A. Mulvey, Elmhurst;

Kenneth G. Porter, Mt. Prospect,

211 App]. No.: 375,605

[52] US. Cl 417/454, 92/156, 92/168, 137/4544, 137/454.6, 137/543.19,417/503, 417/569 [51] lint. C1. F041) 39/14, FOlb 31/10, F16k 25/00 [58]Field of Search 137/540, 543.17, 543.19, 137/4542, 454.4, 454.6;417/454, 567, 540,

a uminum /4 1/1971 Uchiyama ..417/539 5/1972 Rasmussen ..417/539 PrimaryExaminer-Wi1liam L. Freeh Assistant Examiner-Gregory P. LaPointe [57]ABSTRACT A high pressure pump having reciprocating plungers executingsuction and discharge strokes, improved by valve assemblies in whichvalve components extend from a side of an elastomeric seal and ananchoring ring extends from the opposite side of the seal to reduce wearand assure proper alignment of the valve assembly. Similarinterchangeable valve assemblies are mounted in communication with thesuction and discharge chambers of the pump, but in reverse directions.An improved sealing means is provided by a plurality of V-ringscompressed against a lubricating ring by a spring bottomed in acylindrical chamber wherein the plunger operates in executing thesuction and discharge strokes. An additive fluid adaptor with meteringmeans is mounted to a passageway communicating with the suction chamber,and a one-way check valve controls entry of the additive fluid only uponexecution of the suction stroke of the plunger.

11 Uaims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEL, 30v 1 9 i974 SHEET 2 OF 2 ETL 1HIGH PRESSURE RECIPROCATING PUMP This invention relates to an improvedhigh pressure pump having one or more plungers which execute suction anddischarge strokes to move fluid through suction and discharge chambers,the invention particularly relating to improved valve assemblies,sealing means and additive fluid fittings for the pump. The general typeof reciprocating plunger pumps disclosed herein are known in the art asshown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,382 and U.S. Pat. No.3,558,244, the latter teaching being a pump of the piston type, and theformer teaching showing a pump of the plunger type. Both theserepresentative teachings include a pump wherein the piston or plunger isoperated by a crankshaft rotated by an auxiliary prime mover such as anelectric or internal combustion engine motor.

It is highly important for such high pressure pumps to provide good andreliable sealing in operating. The principal seal or packing is providedaround plunger rods, which is essential to the operation of the pump.Good scaling is also required in the valve assemblies which move thefluid, such as water, from outside the pump into a suction chamber, andthen through a discharge chamber to outside the pump. The seals in thevalve assembly are known to fail at undesirably early periods, andreplacement of such seals is often a problem in that the seal assemblymust be carefully removed, repaired and then properly refitted andaligned.

It is one important object of the present invention to provide animproved high pressure pump of the reciprocating plunger type which hasvalve assemblies to control fluid entry and discharge in long-lifeoperation with continued good sealing. It is an aspect of this objectthat the improved valve assemblies are compactly packaged and assembledso that they can be quickly and easily removed and inserted in properalignment without requiring extraordinary attention or manipulation.

Still yet another important object of the present in vention is toprovide an improved high pressure pump of the reciprocating plunger typecharacterized by a spring loaded packing system around the plunger rodsto assure the essential sealing action for high performance pumpoperation.

Yet still another important object of the present invention is toprovide an improved high pressure pump of the reciprocating type whereinan impulse injector type of fitting is provided so that additive fluids,such as detergents, can be delivered into the suction chamber foradmixture with the fluids and discharged out of the pump. It is anaspect of this object that such an impulse injector can be provided withmeans to meter the amount of additive fluid into the suction chamberthrough one-way movement.

The foregoing objects are attained, together with still other objectswhich will occur to practitioners from time to time, by the invention ofthe following disclosure, which includes drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a high pressure pump of thereciprocating plunger type;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, ofthe pump shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view, on an enlarged scale, of the spring loadedpacking system to be mounted around the plunger rods; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view, on an enlarged scale, of the improved valveassembly used interchangeably at the suction and discharge sides of thepump.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, there is seena high pressure pump of the reciprocating plunger type. The pump has acrank housing 10 which is supported by a mounting rail 11 held byfasteners 12. The housing includes a crank chamber 13 in whichlubricating oil is delivered through oil entry assembly 14. The crankhousing is also shown with a window gauge 16 for checking oil levels, aswell as a drain closure 17 for the purposes of changing the oil.

The crank housing 10 houses a crankshaft 18 to which is joined aplurality of connecting rods 20, each joined by a pivot pin 21 to aplunger rod 22. The plunger rod is located within housing extension 24,and seal 26 is positioned to sealingly engage the rearward portion ofthe plunger rod 22.

A spacer element 28 separates housing extension 24 from pump housing 29.The pump housing includes a cyclinder wall 30. The plunger rod 22 isprovided with an O-ring 31 to sealingly engage the plunger rod 22. Thepump housing includes zerk fitting assemblies 32 which are of theconventional design to operate as grease fittings.

The cylinder wall 30 defines a cylindrical chamber 34 in which theplunger rod 22 reciprocates under urgings of rotating crankshaft 18. Animproved sealing means or packing system is provided around the plungerrod. Such packing system includes a polyethylene washer 36 which buttsagainst the forward end of spacer. A grease ring 38 adjoins the washerand such ring has a plurality of openings in its periphery as betterseen in the view of FIG 3. The ring underlies the zerk fitting assembly32 so that grease can be circumferentially distributed around theplunger rod 22. A plurality of flexible annular elements, shown asV-packing rings 39 are grouped together. The apices of the respectiveV-rings are disposed in a uniform direction as shown. A spring 40 hasone final turn which is bottomed in the cylinder and an opposite finalturn which bears against a base V-ring 39a, preferably hardened by beingformed from material such as phenol resin. The spring 40 compresses thepacking rings to allow the plunger rods 22 to ride rather freely whilemaintaining the packing rings in good sealing position. The firstpacking ring in the group fits against grease ring 38 in sealingrelationship.

The forward part of the pump includes a suction housing 42 which isclamped tightly to housing 10 by housing bolts 43 and nuts 44.Tightening the nuts and housing bolts compresses spring 40, places thegrease ring under the zerk fitting, and desirably loads the a packingsystem around the plunger rods. A spacer nut 45 is shown around bolt 43,said spacer being located between housing extension 24 of crankcasehousing 10 and pump housing 29.

A discharge housing 46 is shown on top of the pump housing 29. Both thesuction and the discharge housing are provided with parts such as inletor suction part 47 on suction housing 42, and discharge part 48 ondischarge housing 46. The discharge housing is held to the pump housing29 by fasteners 49 The bottoms of the suction and discharge housing arefurther provided with flats 50 which engage the valve assemblies in amanner which will be described.

The valve assemblies are shown generally as 51, and are located in thesuction chamber and in the discharge chamber but in reverse positionrelative to each other. The valve assemblies are, however,interchangable so that valve assembly in discharge chamber 46a can bereversed and mounted in pump chamber 42a. Each valve assembly has agroup of valve components. There is present a valve housing 52 which issomewhat in the form of a bell having a bottom continuous flange 52a. Aplurality of discharge ports 54 are circumferentially distributed in thewall. of the housing. A spring 56 is positionable inside the valvehousing 52 and a valve cap 58 engages one final turn of spring 56. Thevalve cap 56 moves to off and on positions on valve seat 60 which has abottom continuous flange 60a. The valve seat has a central passage 60bwhich is opened and closed by the moving valve cap 58.

An annular elastomeric seal 62 serves as a seat for the foregoing valvecomponents which extend beyond one side of seal 62. The interior of theannular seal has a continuous grooved seat 62a in which is captured theadjoining bottom flanges 60a of seat 60 and bottom flange 52a of valvehousing 52. The seals 62 are positioned in bores 63 in the pump housingand adjacent to the suction and discharge chambers. The flats 50 at thebottom of the respective housings engage the top of the seals 63. It isseen that the valve housing positioned in the suction chamber is theportion of the valve assembly which is closest to the end of theplunger. The valve housing positioned in the discharge chamber is theportion of the valve assembly which is farthest from the end of theplunger.

A support or anchoring ring 64 extends beyond the side of the seal 62which is opposite to the side from which the valve components extend.Such ring is shown to have a bottom flange 64a which adjoins the bottomflanges of the valve seat and the valve housing when captured interiorlyin groove 62a of seal 62. The extending portion of support ring 64 ispositioned in a machined seat 66 in the pump housing. This seat is acircular groove which is immediately below larger bore 63 in which seal62 is seated. The seated extending support ring assures correctalignment of the valve assembly in the respective suction and dischargechambers. Anchoring the support ring in the machine seat furtherimproves the life of the seal 62 in that the ring funnels fluid into andfromtheir respective chambers thus reducing the effect of the fluidpressure directly on the seals. The seals are tightly compressed betweentheir respective bores and the flats 50 of the housing portion when thefasteners are tightened, such as 49 and 44.

Additive fluids are introduced into the suction chamber during thesuction stroke of the plunger through an impulse injector assembly 68.The assembly includes a fitting 70 which is positioned to communicatewith a passage and pump housing 29. A one-way check valve is provided inthe form of a ball 72 and spring 74 to provide that additive fluid movesonly in one direction into the suction chamber upon execution of thesuction stroke. The additive fluid is preferably metered by means suchas a needle valve 76which selectively diminishes the opening of passage78 in the fitting.

In operation, the suction chamber valve assembly is open during suctionstroke to allow fluids such as water to move into entries 47. Thereduced pressure in the suction chamber makes it easier for the waterpressure to move the cap 58 against spring 56. At the same time,

the discharge chamber valve assembly has its cap 58 closed under urgingsof spring 56. At the same time, ad-

ditive fluids may be moved through the impulse injector into the suctionchamber where they mix with the fluid present therein. During pressurestroke, the valve assembly in the suction chamber is closed by fluidpressure holding cap 58 against seat 60 while such fluid is dischargedthrough the valve assembly in the discharge chamber by unseating cap 58from seat 60. During such suction and pressure strokes of the plunger,spring 40 urges the plurality of packing rings in compressedrelationship against lubricating ring 38 which is fixed by stop orwasher 36 in the cylinder.

The claims of the invention are now presented, and the terms of suchclaims may be better understood by reference to the language of thepreceding specification and the views of the drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. In a high pressure pump having a plunger movable in a cylinder by arotatable crankshaft to urge fluid through an entry into a suctionchamber of the pump, and then urge the fluid under pressure through adischarge chamber and out of said pump, the improvement which comprisesan interchangeable valve assembly mounted in said suction and dischargechambers, said valve assemblies being reversed relative to each other sothat such suction chamber valve assembly is opened and said dischargechamber valve assembly is closed during a suction stroke of the plunger,and said opening and closing of the valve assemblies is reversed duringthe pressure stroke of the plunger,

each valve assembly including a continuous flange mounted interiorly inan annular groove in an elastomeric seal ring and extending beyond oneside of said elastomeric ring,

a rigid anchoring ring having a continuous flange mounted interiorly insaid annular groove in said elastomeric seal ring and extending beyondthe opposite side of said elastomeric seal ring, and

a matching continuous grooved seat in each of said chambers wherein saidanchoring ring is positioned.

2. In a high pressure pump which includes the features of claim 1 above,wherein the valve assembly extending out of one side of the elastomericseal includes a bottom flanged valve housing, a valve cap urged toclosed position against a bottom flanged valve seat, the bottom flangesof said housing and valve seat being held in adjoining relationshipwithin said elastomeric seal, and said valve housing having dischargeports to move the fluids under pressure therethrough when the valve capis opened by being unseated from said valve seat under pressure fluidlevels.

3. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 2 above, whereinthe valve housing positioned in the suction chamber is the portion ofthe valve assembly which is closest to the end of the plunger, and thevalve housing positioned in the discharge chamber is the portion of thevalve assembly which is farthest from the end of said plunger.

4. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 3 above, whereina plurality of plungers operate in communication with said suctionchamber, and a plurality of entries, each aligned with a valve assembly,are in communication with said suction chamber.

5. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 4 above, whereinsaid discharge chamber has a plurality of communicating dischargeoutlets.

6. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 2 above, whereinsaid anchoring ring has a large flanged opening mounted within theelastomeric seal and a small opening extending out of said seal forpositioning in a seat formed in the pump body.

7. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 1 above, whereinsaid plunger is reciprocably positioned in a cyclinder housing, annularsealing means between the plunger and the cylindrical housing, and meansat one end of the cyclindrical housing urging said annular sealing meansin sealing engagement to wards the opposite end of the cylindricalhousing.

8. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 7 above, whereinsaid annular sealing means are a plurality of flexible V-rings and ahardened base V- ring, the apices whereof are disposed in a uniformdirection, and said biasing means is a spring having one final turnbottomed in the cylindrical housing and the opposite final turn bottomedagainst the hardened base.

9. A high pressure pump which includes the features of claim 8 above,wherein the V-ring most remote from the bottom of the cylindricalhousing adjoins a lubricating ring which position is fixed by an annularstop within the cylindrical housing, said lubricating ring having aplurality of passages communicating with the cylinder chamber, and saidring being aligned with a lubricating inlet in said cylindrical housing.

10. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 1 above, andwhich further includes a passageway communicating with said suctionchamber, an impulse injector fitting mounted to said passageway, saidfitting including a one-way check valve operable to allow introductionof additive fluid only upon the suction stroke of said plunger.

11. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 9 above, andwhich further includes metering means on said impulse injector flittingto control the amount of additive fluid which is introduced into the

1. In a high pressure pump having a plunger movable in a cylinder by arotatable crankshaft to urge fluid through an entry into a suctionchamber of the pump, and then urge the fluid under pressure through adischarge chamber and out of said pump, the improvement which comprisesan interchangeable valve assembly mounted in said suction and dischargechambers, said valve assemblies being reversed relative to each other sothat such suction chamber valve assembly is opened and said dischargechamber valve assembly is closed during a suction stroke of the plunger,and said opening and closing of the valve assemblies is reversed duringthe pressure stroke of the plunger, each valve assembly including acontinuous flange mounted interiorly in an annular groove in anelastomeric seal ring and extending beyond one side of said elastomericring, a rigid anchoring ring having a continuous flange mountedinteriorly in said annular groove in said elastomeric seal ring andextending beyond the opposite side of said elastomeric seal ring, and amatching continuous grooved seat in each of said chambers wherein saidanchoring ring is positioned.
 2. In a high pressure pump which includesthe features of claim 1 above, wherein the valve assembly extending outof one side of the elastomeric seal includes a bottom flanged valvehousing, a valve cap urged to closed position against a bottom flangedvalve seat, the bottom flanges of said housing and valve seat being heldin adjoining relationship within said elastomeric seal, and said valvehousing having discharge ports to move the fluids under pressuretherethrough when the valve cap is opened by being unseated from saidvalve seat under pressure fluid levels.
 3. A pressure pump whichincludes the features of claim 2 above, wherein the valve housingpositioned in the suction chamber is the portion of the valve assemblywhich is closest to the end of the plunger, and the valve housingpositioned in the discharge chamber is the portion of the valve assemblywhich is farthest from the end of said plunger.
 4. A pressure pump whichincludes the features of claim 3 above, wherein a plurality of plungersoperate in communication with said suction chamber, and a plurality ofentries, each aligned with a valve assembly, are in communication withsaid suction chamber.
 5. A pressure pump which includes the features ofclaim 4 above, wherein said discharge chamber has a plurality ofcommunicating discharge outlets.
 6. A pressure pump which includes thefeatures of claim 2 above, wherein said anchoring ring has a largeflanged opening mounted within the elastomeric seal and a small openingextending out of said seal for positioning in a seat formed in the pumpbody.
 7. A pressure pump which includes the features of claim 1 above,wherein said plunger is reciprocably positioned in a cyclinder housing,annular sealing means between the plunger and the cylindrical housing,aNd means at one end of the cyclindrical housing urging said annularsealing means in sealing engagement towards the opposite end of thecylindrical housing.
 8. A pressure pump which includes the features ofclaim 7 above, wherein said annular sealing means are a plurality offlexible V-rings and a hardened base V-ring, the apices whereof aredisposed in a uniform direction, and said biasing means is a springhaving one final turn bottomed in the cylindrical housing and theopposite final turn bottomed against the hardened base.
 9. A highpressure pump which includes the features of claim 8 above, wherein theV-ring most remote from the bottom of the cylindrical housing adjoins alubricating ring which position is fixed by an annular stop within thecylindrical housing, said lubricating ring having a plurality ofpassages communicating with the cylinder chamber, and said ring beingaligned with a lubricating inlet in said cylindrical housing.
 10. Apressure pump which includes the features of claim 1 above, and whichfurther includes a passageway communicating with said suction chamber,an impulse injector fitting mounted to said passageway, said fittingincluding a one-way check valve operable to allow introduction ofadditive fluid only upon the suction stroke of said plunger.
 11. Apressure pump which includes the features of claim 9 above, and whichfurther includes metering means on said impulse injector fitting tocontrol the amount of additive fluid which is introduced into thesuction chamber.